The
Royals,
who
are
placed
fifth
in
the
IPL
points
table,
will
begin
the
second
leg
of
IPL
by
taking
on
Punjab
Kings
on
September
21.

Commenting
on
what
he
expects
from
his
players
as
they
aim
to
make
it
to
the
playoffs,
Sangakkara
said,
“What
I
want
to
see
from
them
is
their
best
efforts
–
competing
as
hard
and
for
as
long
as
possible
to
create
opportunities
to
take
games
by
the
scruff
of
their
neck
and
win
them
–
that’s
the
real
key.

“If
one
player
can
win
us
the
odd
game
here
and
there,
different
players
become
those
match-winners
in
different
games,
and
that’s
really
what
you’re
looking
for
in
terms
of
formulating
a
side
winning,”
he
said
in
an
RR
release.

Having
stayed
in
touch
with
the
team
during
the
off-season,
Sangakkara
said
he
got
a
lot
of
feedback
from
the
players.

“I
expect
them
to
always
challenge
the
plans
we
set
for
them
and
question
as
to
why
they’re
doing
something,
or
if
they
have
a
better
alternative.
I
think
that’s
the
real
way
we
can
challenge
each
other
as
coaches
and
players
to
get
better,”
said
the
43-year-old
Sri
Lankan
legend.

“And
I’m
genuinely
very
happy
to
note
that
our
players
are
excelling
at
that.
I
really
love
the
energy
and
the
attitude
of
all
the
players
at
the
Royals,
especially
the
younger
Indian
guys,
who
are
all
very
keen
to
learn
and
very
confident
in
their
abilities.”

The
former
captain
is
under
quarantine
in
his
hotel
room
here
with
his
family.
“The
first
phase
of
the
season
had
both
positives
and
negatives
for
our
team.
It
was
a
bit
of
a
mixed
bag
with
some
injuries
and
pull-outs,
but
those
are
very
understandable
situations
where
you
must
support
the
players.”

Players
like
Jos
Buttler,
Ben
Stokes
and
Jofra
Archer
have
pulled
out
due
to
different
reasons,
including
injury-related.
Sangakkara
referred
Jaydev
Unadkat
as
a
great
example
of
hard
work
and
determination.

“Earlier
this
year,
I
was
particularly
impressed
with
JD
(Jaydev
Unadkat),
because
we
all
know
that
he
has
gone
through
some
difficult
phases
in
his
career
but
I
think
he
really
stepped
up
during
the
first
phase
of
IPL
2021.
His
bowling
was
outstanding,
and
that
just
goes
to
show
that
you
can
come
back
from
a
setback
and
start
doing
well
if
you
put
in
the
work.”

On
Sanju
Samson’s
captaincy,
Sangakkara
said,
“I
really
think
Sanju
Samson
does
well
when
he’s
Sanju
Samson.
He’s
a
bright
young
man.
He’s
got
a
balanced
head
on
his
shoulders,
and
I
like
the
way
he
keeps
everything
very
simple,
clear
and
direct.

“His
captaincy
was
very
impressive
given
he
had
to
take
over
at
a
tough
time
without
a
full-strength
squad.”